ATLAS-NOW & AV-SHAPE:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BASIC USE.
William Davies
(swgd100@esc.cam.ac.uk)
1. Introduction.
The two mapping programmes are intended to give users an idea of the
distributions of dated OIS-3 sites contained in the Archaeological and Faunal
databases, and have been developed for the Stage Three Project by Dr. Alan
Smith and Dr. Lawrence Rush (Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of
Cambridge). The mapping programme itself (AtlasNow) is set up to show a
similar view of Europe to that generated by the Penn. State University
modellers, and uses the same type of projection (Lambert conformal). The
other programme (Avshape) is intended to convert the user’s pre-prepared
text files for mapping in AtlasNow, changing the *.csv (“comma-separated
values”) files into *.atl ones which can then be read by the latter programme.
If you require more elaborate mapping procedures, you are advised to contact
the devisers of the programmes (Dr. Alan Smith: ags1@esc.cam.ac.uk; Dr.
Lawrence Rush: lar1@esc.cam.ac.uk); a more detailed coastline of Europe can
be purchased on application to either of the above.
2. Getting started.
Having downloaded both of the programmes and their attached files from the
closed section of the Stage Three Project, you are advised to save them in a
single folder, called something like “Atlas”, on the hard-drive of your
computer. The address should read as something like:
C:\Atlas\atlasnow.exe\
Users should first select the dated assemblages they wish to map. It is
advised that they select three variables for their files to be mapped, i.e.
latitude, longitude and a “comments” column (usually the site name, which
might be replaced by a number for mapping clarity/convenience). In the
current version of the [Archaeology] database, both latitude and longitude are
in the same column, as both were originally designed for use with commaseparated mapping programmes. Users who do not wish to change this
arrangement can simply follow the instructions in section 3a; those who wish
to change it should see section 3b.
3. Preparing data for mapping (*.csv format).
It is essential that the Grid Refs. column should be made consistent before
being changed into csv format. This is best done while the data are [still] in
Excel. Firstly, it is essential that no row contains more that one set of co-
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ordinates, so variant co-ordinates (in square brackets) should be deleted
manually. If the variant co-ordinates are preferred by the user, then the
unbracketed ones should be deleted instead. All asterisks in the Grid Refs.
column will also need to be deleted manually. The rows of this column which
contain the actual co-ordinates, i.e. those below the first (title) row of the table,
should then be selected, and the following procedure followed:
i.
ii.
iii.
Press the Control button and the H one simultaneously. The Find and
Replace dialogue box will come up on the screen.
In the upper box (Find what), type in an opening square bracket, i.e. ‘[’.
Do not put anything in the box below (Replace with), but instead click
on the Replace All button.
Press Control and H simultaneously again to restart the process, and
this time type a closing square bracket, i.e. ‘]’, in the Find what box and
then press the Replace All button.
This process will remove all the editorial square brackets in the Grid Refs.
column, and users are advised to save the new format as a template version
before they start the subsequent splitting and re-working of the data. If users
wish to retain awareness of the less-certain co-ordinates which were
originally given in square brackets, it is suggested that they distinguish them
in some way before they remove the brackets as outlined above, e.g. change
them into bold italic type.
Having removed all extraneous editorial characters, users can then
change their selected data into csv format using one or other of the following
methods.
EITHER
3a. Changing data into *.csv format using Simple text format (Notepad).
Having chosen the dated assemblages to be mapped, users should copy the
Longitude/Latitude column from the database, together with a “comments”
column, normally the site/assemblage name, and paste it into a simple text
file. Notepad, or WordPad if the file is very large, are probably the best
programmes to use for such a format. Windows users should be able to find
these programmes by clicking on the “Start” button at the bottom left-hand
corner of their screen, then clicking on “Programs”  “Accessories” 
“Notepad”.
The copied and pasted data will now need alteration, as it is still in
column format from its organisation in Excel and the columns are separated
by tabs. Tedious as it is, the user will have to go through all the data deleting
the separating tabs between the Longitude/Latitude column and the
“comments” one, replacing them by a comma and a space. Each assemblage
intended for mapping should still occupy a separate line. It is essential that
the data intended for mapping should not begin lower than the second line
of the text file, or loss of assemblages will occur. The first line of text can be
used to describe what the data in the file represent, e.g. early Aurignacian
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sites. Alternatively, users who are proud of their alertness and memory skills
can start the mapping data on the top line, reserving the description of the file
contents for the file name itself.
Having checked that the above have been done, users can then save the
text file (use “Save As” in the File menu) as a “csv” one: for example
C:\Atlas\Early_Aurig.csv
Users must not use the default-save text setting, i.e. Early_Aurig.txt, as then
the avshape programme cannot read the file.
Section 3 summary:
i.
Copy and paste selected data for mapping into a simple text file.
ii.
Ensure that data to be mapped starts no lower than the second line of
text, and that the three variables for each assemblage are separated by
a comma and a space.
iii.
‘Save As’ a csv file.
OR
3b. Changing data into *.csv format using Excel.
In some ways this process is simpler than transferring the data into a simple
text file. Users should still reduce the data they wish to map to Latitude,
Longitude and a “comments” column, and should also remember to have
data on no more than one worksheet (conversion to csv format cannot cope
with more than one worksheet). It is therefore advisable to divide the
database into separate dataset files.
Having subdivided the data into the requisite files, the user should
insert a blank column to the right of the Longitude/Latitude column (choose
Insert menu, while the cursor is somewhere in the “comments” column, and
then select Columns). A blank column will be inserted to the left of the
column where the cursor is, i.e. between the Longitude/Latitude column and
the “comments” one. This extra column will be consumed when the data in
the Grid Refs. column are split into two halves along the separating commas.
The following procedure should be followed when splitting the Grid Refs.
column:
i.
ii.
iii.
Select Data menu, and then the Text to Columns option. This action
will bring up the required dialogue (a.k.a. swear) box.
Make sure that the default setting of Delimited is selected in the
dialogue box. This setting ensures that the programme is looking for
commas or tabs to separate each field. Press the Next button.
Select Comma in the Delimiters section of the window, and deselect
the default Tab selection. Press the Next button, and then press Finish.
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Accepting any following dialogue boxes (press OK) which ask for permission
to over-write any existing columns, the blank column should now be filled
with the Latitude values. If the “comments” column appears to be largely
blank, this means that some of the cells in the original Grid Refs. column had
not been reduced to two separate values before splitting occurred, and thus
more than two columns were consumed by the newly-split data. Users
should undo their work (press Control and Z simultaneously), and start
again, making sure that each cell contains just two numbers separated by a
comma.
As described in section 3a, the rows of data should not start later than
the second row, or information loss will occur when the csv file is converted
for use by the AtlasNow programme. The topmost row can either be used to
state the contents of the table or to start the first row of data. Users who wish
to swap the order of the Longitude and Latitude columns can now cut and
paste them to achieve their aim (see section 4).
To save the file in csv format, choose Save As from the File menu, and
then type the name for the file in the upper of the two lower boxes. Click on
the arrow on the right-hand side of the box below, and select CSV (Comma
delimited) from the array of choices. Press OK, and then OK/Yes to any
subsequent querying dialogue boxes which will warn the user of the lack of
support for multiple sheets in csv format.
4. Converting the *.csv file to an *.atl one using Avshape.
Open the general [“Atlas”] folder on your hard-drive, and then open the
avshape programme. You should then click on the Convert menu, and select
CSV text to Atlas. The programme will ask you to select which csv file you
wish to open, and having opened it, will ask you what each comma-separated
column of data represents. It should be remembered that the Latitude and
Longitude are in reversed order in the databases, and that when the dialogue
box asks which columns should supply the Longitude and Latitude values,
you should be careful not to make an error. If you have changed the order
while in Excel (see section 3b above), you should not have to worry about this
problem.
The third column (“comments” column, according to avshape) would
normally be the column containing the site names. Having accepted all the
allocations of fields, avshape will ask you to confirm where the mappable data
begin: a dialogue box entitled “Headings included” asks the user to confirm
whether the data to be mapped begin on the second line (clicking Yes
supports this default setting) or on the first one (click No for this option). The
avshape programme has now done its job, and unless you wish to convert
more csv files, it can be closed down.
If the user has saved his or her csv files in the C:\Atlas\ folder, the
avshape programme will create its extra files (*.atl, *.sc0) in the same folder. It
is best if this arrangement is adopted by the user, as then extensive searches of
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the hard-drive do not have to be undertaken to find the relevant *.csv, *.atl
and *.sc0 files! You can now proceed to the mapping of your selected data.
5. Mapping the *.atl files using AtlasNow.
Having clicked on the Atlasnow icon to open it, you should go to the File
menu, and select Load. The programme is looking for files with the *.prm
suffix, and the basemap which approximates the Penn. State University
modelling output is called stage3.prm. You should select this file and press
OK.
Next, click on Data from the top menu bar, which brings down a
dialogue window. Clicking on the List button enables you to select the file to
be plotted on the basemap (stage3.prm). The default setting for any new
dataset is an ultramarine solid dot. If you wish to change this default, you
should click on the Attributes button, having already selected the *.atl file to
be altered in the left-hand listings box with the mouse. Clicking this button
brings up the Data Display Attributes dialogue box. Users should beware of
altering the Wvssrcd4.atl file, unless they really wish to change aspects of the
European coastline (although its fill colour can be changed if required,
following the same procedures as those given below). I outline below the
Attributes which can be edited:



Data type box (left-hand side of dialogue window) – the *.atl files
which have been loaded onto the basemap are listed in order of
loading in this box. They are listed simply as CSV data, with the
topmost one being the first one to be downloaded. It is therefore
advisable to rename each *.atl file as it is loaded and edited. Clicking
the Rename button, just below the Data type box where the CSV data
line to be edited has already been selected, will generate the Rename
data type dialogue box, and you can insert the preferred new name,
e.g. Early_Aurig.
Show as box (to right of previous box in dialogue window) – if you
wish to edit/alter the shape attributes of the point on the map, the row
which is level with the chosen CSV data line in the previous box
should be single-clicked with the mouse. This brings up a new
dialogue box, and enables the default circle to be altered: users can
select other shapes, such as squares, lines, diamonds, triangles, dots,
etc., or they can choose a single alphabetical letter instead. Having
made the selection, press OK to return to the main Data Display
Attributes dialogue box.
Outline box (box adjacent to Show as box) – this function enables the
default setting of no outline for the mapped dot to be changed. Singleclicking on the relevant row (level with the CSV data to be altered)
permits the alteration/addition of an outline, with the colour, thickness
and consistency (dotted, continuous) of the line being changeable.
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
Fill box (next to Outline box) – this function enables the default fill
colour of ultramarine blue for the selected CSV data line to be changed.
The colour and style (density, patterning and transparency) of the fill
can be edited, after single-clicking on the respective row. “No fill”
ensures that the plotted points are transparent, with only their outlines
showing (and overlapping each other).
Once all the mapped points have been added and edited, clicking OK will
enact all the changes in the Data Display Attributes box, and the screen will
revert to the basemap. You need to click on the redraw icon (button with a
lightning design on it, in the top left-hand corner, just below the main menu
headings) in order to see the fruits of your labours, and to know whether to
make any corrections to the editing. The redraw button should be used after
any changes have been made, or you will lose track, or be unaware, of what
has been done.
The addition of commentary text (from the “Comments” column) is
not advised unless you have zoomed in onto a particular area, e.g. Cantabria
or SW France, as the text will be overlaid and illegible. The zoom icon is just
to the right of the redraw one; clicking it a second time will exit the zoom
mode. To add commentary text to mapped points, you should follow the
procedure below:
i.
ii.
iii.
Single-click Data from the main menu, and then click on the Text
button in the ‘Appearance’ section of the dialogue window (just below
the Attributes button). The Text attributes dialogue window will then
come up on screen, and you should select the relevant Comments line
in the Text type box on the left-hand side of the window. This can be
gauged by clicking on each ‘Comments’ line until the right *.atl file in
the previous (Files) dialogue window becomes selected.
The
comments attached to each *.atl file can be edited, and the order of the
latter follows the sequence seen in their original loading order. You
may thus find it convenient to use the renaming facility in the Text
attributes window: select the ‘Comments’ line to be renamed, and then
press the Rename button underneath the Text type box. Having typed
in the new name, e.g. Early_Aurig, into the Name dialogue box, and
pressed OK, you should then press OK on the Text attributes window,
and then click the Text button on the original dialogue window if you
wish to check that your new name has been adopted. If you are
confident that the change has been made, you can continue with their
other changes before closing the Text attributes dialogue window.
The Show box in the Text attributes dialogue window enables the user
to make the text visible. Single-clicking the relevant line of this box
will permit the editing of the normal “Hidden” default setting to be
changed to “Show all”.
Subsequent boxes can all be altered if required by single-clicking on the
line relevant to the *.atl file being edited. The size box controls the size
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of the commentary text’s typeface, while Face name alters the typeface
itself (dependent upon the number of typefaces available in the user’s
Windows system). The Displacement box permits the longitudinal (x)
and latitudinal (y) displacement of the commentary text in digital
degrees from each dot in the chosen *.atl file, and the final box enables
the colour of the text (choose from the selection under ‘Colour’) and its
background (selection under ‘Background’) to be changed, as well as
the colour intensity of the text (selection under ‘Style’).
Having approved these editorial changes, you should click on the redraw icon
to check that they are what was intended.
You can subsequently re-edit any characteristics of the mapped data
points by selecting ‘Data colours, fills etc’ from the Attributes menu, which
will bring up the ‘Data Display Attributes’ dialogue box.
6. Saving and using mapped output.
A title can be added at the top left-hand corner of the map. You should click
on the Title menu, and then add the title in the dialogue box. Click the
redraw icon to see and check the title text, which can be edited by clicking on
the Title menu again.
The Digitize menu allows users to add lines, etc., to the map. Choose
New from the Digitize menu, and add successive points where required
using the left-hand button on the mouse. When you have added all the points
needed, click the right-hand mouse button, and this will prompt the
programme to ask whether you wish the input to be stored.
The map can be saved as a *.prm file, e.g. Early_Aurig.prm, and loaded
again whenever required by choosing it from the Parameter files dialogue
window obtained when Load is chosen from the File menu. You are advised
to retain the stage3.prm file as a basemap template which can be used for any
required plots. Plotted maps can then be saved under other names.
To export the mapped output, choose Export from the File menu. The
default setting is a Windows Enhanced Metafile (*.EMF), which can be
imported into graphics programmes such as CorelDraw. The x and y
dimensions of the image can be altered if required in the Image Type &
Dimensions dialogue window. Two subsequent query dialogue boxes will
occur:
“Use Metafile corrections?” Y/N
Then:
“Add placeable header?” Y/N
Having decided which options to use, you can then import the graphic into a
graphics programme.
Alternatively, the output can be saved as a Bitmap, but users should be
warned that problems with definition can occur when the size of the bitmap is
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subsequently changed in another [graphics] programme. Nevertheless, this
option can be more reliable when imported into graphics packages such as
CorelDraw; distortion can be kept to a minimum if the user opts to reduce
rather than enlarge the bitmap.
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